Itsmyluckyday dominates first derby of year at Gulfstream

Itsmyluckyday, ridden by Paco Lopez, pulls away from the field to win the… (Leslie Martin )

January 2, 2013|By Tom Jicha, Correspondent

Hallandale — Itsmyluckyday became the first “Derby” winner in the class of 2013, capturing the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby on Tuesday by a decisive 6¾ lengths. As dominating as the victory was, trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. and jockey Paco Lopez have a friendly disagreement on whether the 3-year-old colt is better on the main track or turf.

“Paco thinks he’s better on turf, still thinks he’s better on turf,” Plesa said in the winner’s circle. “I have a problem with that. I know how good he’s been training. He loves the dirt. This was a prep race for whatever we decide to do next.”

This is a debate the trainer is going to win, especially with a smorgasbord of rich races for 3-year-olds coming up and the Kentucky Derby down the road. Itsmyluckyday certainly bolstered this point of view. He stalked Undrafted, owned by Wes Welker of the New England Patriots, from the gate to the turn of the mile race. Lopez said he had no doubt he could go by whenever he chose. “I waited and waited, but I knew I had a lot of horse left.”

When Lopez decided it was time to go, Undrafted, who had set extraordinarily fast fractions for the distance, had little left to resist. By the time they straightened for the run to the wire, Lopez was peeking back for competition. Runner-up Sr. Quisqueyano tried to mount a challenge, but Itsmyluckyday was widening his margin with every stride, finishing the eight furlongs in 1:34.39.

The Derby culminated a rewarding couple of days for Plesa. He won the Ocala, the final stakes of 2012, Sunday with Successful Song. “Ended on a good note, started on a good note,” he said.

Kauai Katie launched her 3-year-old campaign in dazzling style, crushing four overmatched foes in the Grade 3 Old Hat for fillies. Kauai Katie was a sensation in New York last summer, winning three sprints by a combined 21 lengths. The two-turn Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies proved beyond her range, but she wasn’t disgraced, running fourth of eight.

Back at six furlongs, she toyed with her field, allowing Cor Cor, who had won her first two starts, to set the pace down the backstretch. John Velazquez eased Kauai Katie alongside the leader going to the far turn, drew even at the top of the stretch, then blew her away, winning by eight lengths. Cor Cor held the place with the other three in a different ZIP code.

Kauai Katie went off the 1-10 favorite and paid $2.20, a dime more than the legal minimum. She sprinted six furlongs in 1:09.66. Unless a challenger, who hasn’t been seen yet, emerges in the next three weeks, she will probably be a similar price in the Forward Gal Stakes on Jan. 26.

Merit Man made an impressive East Coast debut in the $100,000 Spectacular Bid. The runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint survived a four-horse scrimmage for the early lead, then held off late-running City of Weston to win by three-quarters of a length. Sent away as the 6-to-5 favorite, Merit Man, whose three previous starts were in Southern California, completed six furlongs in 1:11.39, almost two seconds slower than Kauai Katie.

Tuttipaesi, an Irish-bred three-time winner in Italy trained by Englishman Graham Motion and ridden by Peruvian jockey Alan Garcia, made a successful U.S. debut in the day’s other stakes, the $75,000 Ginger Brew. Tuttipaesi rallied strongly from the back of the pack to win the mile and 1/16th turf race by two lengths over Wave Theory. Pace-setter Discreet Marq held on for third.